The world famous Vienna Boys’ Choir made a triumphant return to Arkansas City on Monday as they performed inside the Robert Brown Theatre following the Cowley College Endowment Association’s annual banquet.

Lauded as one of the most prestigious boys’ choirs in the world, the Vienna Boys’ Choir made its first trip back to Arkansas City since 2005. For nearly five hundred years, the Vienna Choir Boys have been a symbol of Austria.

The choir's repertoire consisted of everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music. They sang music dating to the 1600’s as well as more modern music from artists such as Paul Simon and Abba.

“This was my first time seeing them in concert and it was remarkable to see their mastery of the music,” said Ben Schears, Cowley College vice president of institutional advancement.

Great composers and teachers have repeatedly improved the musical quality of the Vienna Boys’ Choir. Manolo Cagnin served as Choirmaster of the Vienna Boys’ Choir performance on Monday.

Today there are around 100 choristers between the ages of 10 and 14, divided into four touring choirs. The four choirs give around 300 concerts and performances each year in front of almost half a million people. Each group spends nine to 11 weeks of the school year on tour. They visit virtually all European countries, and they are frequent guests in Asia, Australia and the Americas.

“We are fortunate to be able to bring in this quality of talent to our area,” Schears said.

The Vienna Boys' Choir was sponsored by the Cowley College Alumni & Endowment Association, with generous support from Farm Bureau Financial Services' agents Jeff Swanson and Mitch Reichle, CPA Solutions L.L.C., MidAmerican Credit Union, and The Trust Company of Kansas.